one year later
by TLFScarheart12
Summary: It's been one year since ninjago was first attacked by skeletons under Lord garmadon's control. Kai, unsatisfied with progress wants to be the one to defeat him.
1. Chapter 1: Kai and his thoughts

This day would be burned in Kai's mind forever. The day those dark clouds first rolled over Ninjago. The Day his life changed forever. The day he nearly his sister, the only family he had left. On this day one year ago was when Lord Garmadon's skeletons first attacked Ninjago.

Kai still remembered it all. The roar of the strange machines the skeletons rode. The darkness that covered his home village. The screams of the villages soon mixed with those of Nya. The feeling of bravery and concern only to be quickly replaced by that of helplessness and anger.

In the year since that day much had passed. Kai had become the red ninja of fire and joined his fellow ninjas and now best friends, Jay: ninja of lighting, Cole: ninja of earth, and Zane: ninja of ice. He had come to protect the golden sword of fire. Time and time again he had fought of threats. Not just skeletons, but other supernatural horrors and life challenges that would never had happened while he was a mere blacksmith. Kai had reached his 17th birthday and Nya her 16th. Yet one thing had not happened and it was the one thing Kai was waiting for. Lord Garmadon had yet to return.

Kai yawned. It had been a rough day in training. Sensei Wu had asked Jay to spruce up the training equipment making them faster and more like fighting real enemies. All four ninjas were exhausted now.

Kai's eyelids grew heavy. He sat at the window gazing out at the horizon. He would take on Lord Garmadon then and there if he could.

His eyes closed only to be snapped instantly away by the sound of his fellow ninjas running into his room.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Lord Garmadon's been spotted. We have to go now," said Cole.

Kai leapt up following the others to the four dragons that they had tamed. He literally jumped onto the own dark red and gold dragon and took the harness firstly as the dragon shot into the sky along with the others.

"Who spotted him? Is anyone hurt?" Kai asked.

"No one is hurt. But the witness said he saw conjuring catastrophes," said Zane.

"Like what?" Kai asked.

"Like balls of fire the size of your head , Earthquakes strong enough to bring down our dojo, freak storms popping out of nowhere and blizzards in the idle of summer!" said Jay.

"In other words he is practicing using the four elements of our weapons. If we do not beat him today then all will be lost. He will be ready to use the 4 weapons and will not hesitate to do so." said Zane.

Kai narrowed his eyes. He would not let that happen. Not after all he nearly lost the first time around. He would defeat Lord Garmadon. He would save Ninjago!

All at once his dragon reared up nearly knocking Kai off. *the other dragons did as well and jay actually did fall. Thankfully, he grabbed onto his dragon's tail. Kai regained his balance and looked forward to see balls of fire raining down.

He frowned. He may save Ninjago, but it wasn't going to be easy.


	2. Chapter 2: Fare and Earth

Kai held on tight as his dragon started to preform areal tricks to avoid the rain of fire. His dragon circled, looped, dived, and hovered. It was during one of said hovering moments that Kai noticed it. A fire ball shifted directions as if it purposely avoided him.

"DID YOU SEE THAT?!" Jay cried from behind him.

"We must have some protection from our inner elements. The elements we possess cannot harm us," Zane said.

"In that case we'll split up and tackle the elemental problems we can't be harmed by," Cole told the others.

"I think earthquakes can still cause you harm, Cole." Zane warned him.

"Don't remind me," Cole said nervously, "Anyway we meet back at the dojo in 2 hours. If someone isn't back the rest go to help that ninja."

Kai nodded. Cole didn't need to tell him that last part though. He'd do it anyway.

"See you guys in 2 hours then." he called to the others before flying up following the path of the fireballs in reverse.

Kai watched his fellow ninjas fly off in other directions dodging the fire as they went. Kai got a sinking feeling of worry in his stomach. They rarely did solo missions and when they did it was never something this dangerous. He hoped everyone would be alright.

Kai shook his head. "Of course they'll be okay," he told himself, "They're ninjas too. Sensei Wu has been training all of us for this moment. It's going to be okay."

He continued to fly his dragon towards the balls of fire to find their source. He found Zane was right. Since he was the ninja if fire, fire seemed to avoid him. There was little need to weave or dodge. Kai remembered as a kid he had once reached out to grab something he had accidentally dropped in his father's forge. His father pulled him back but Kai had already stuck his hand in. Yet his hand was not a bit singed which baffled both his father and the doctor his father took him too to make sure he was alright. This must have been the answer.

As he neared his destination he saw that they ball got smaller. They were magic flames, made to grow as they went. But what made them. What could have made them?

Finally he landed to where the balls of fire seemed to be shooting out of the ground. It was a small field outside of the village. The ground was charred by the flames shooting out of it. But where was Lord Garmadon?

Kai frowned. He had to stop the fireballs. He couldn't let the people in the village get hurt. But how were they popping out of the ground like that? Something in the soil? A buried artifact? He had to get under the ground somehow.

A thought flashed across his mind. The earthquakes! If he could find a place they and the fireball origins crossed over he could examine the underground better.

"Hey, fly up and see if there's any earthquake damage in this area!" He called to his dragon.

The dragon obeyed rocketing up into the sky along with the shower of fireballs. He circled a moment, then let out a roar and headed east. Kai followed by foot.

Sure enough there was damage. In fact there were cracks in the earth itself large enough for Kai to climb down.

"Keep a look out!" he said before leaping down into the earth. There before him he saw a tunnel. Kai lit a torch and started down the tunnel ready for whatever lay in store.


End file.
